CSR Challenge Tournament - Part One

On the 17th and 18th of April, the QMJHL Central Scouting held it's annual two-day tournament called the CSR Challenge where 150 of the best 15 and 16-year-old players were invited to strut their stuff in front the Scouts and GM's of the league. McKeen's correspondent Rick Springhetti attended and reports on some of the players that were present. Part one features goaltenders and defensemen.

Antoine Bibeau (2012), G, Trois-Rivieres

Good size .. anticipates the play very well in front of him .. keeps his glove hand high .. able to direct his rebounds in the corners well .. tends to use his reflexes more than positioning .. doesn't handle to puck too much but moves it quickly when he does .. good balance when he goes down for a player his size .. could challenge the shooter a little more aggressively.

Marc Biega (2012), D, Lac St-Louis

Has three brothers all playing at Harvard .. brother Alex was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres .. very skilled player in all facets of the game .. skating is fluid in all directions and he picks up speed quickly .. controls the puck very well and has the vision to make a real good pass .. can absorb a hard hit without a problem and continue playing .. can use some improvement on his shot in terms of velocity but he does hit the net .. release could also be a little quicker .. he is very quick to get to the puck in his own zone and moves out quickly .. at the point, he is always moving his feet and distributes the puck quickly giving his teammates openings to get to the net.

Brendan Duke (2011), D, Cole Harbour

Was part of team Atlantic at the World U-17 tournament in Timmins .. excellent skater who is hard to contain once he picks up speed .. stickhandles the puck well even when picking up top speed, but holds on to the puck a little too long.. spots open teammates and can make a good stretch pass .. controls the gap very well due to his backwards skating ability and is capable of moving up to the forwards quickly to poke check the puck away.. does chase forwards a little too much at times getting himself out of position .. shot is not great, a little erratic .. willing to play the body.

Dillon Fournier (2012), D, Lac St-Louis

Puck-moving defenseman who can change speeds and direction almost at will .. uses the boards effectively to get the puck out of his zone .. sees the ice very well on either side of him .. at the point, he corrals passes effectively and moves the puck quickly .. when he does decide to shoot the puck, he gets it through the opposition and to the net .. defensively, he has trouble winning the physical battles but he is quick to react and doesn't make many mistakes.

Jeremie Fraser (2012), D, Gatineau

Had a difficult game at this tournament .. has a little trouble with his backwards skating but his lateral movement is not bad .. hard on the puck and willing to battle either in front of the net or along the boards .. controls the gap fairly well but does have trouble against shifty skaters .. shot is hard but still a little erratic .. gave a constant effort and did not quit even when things did not go his way .. still growing into his body so his upside is very intriguing .. he will have to keep his temper in check, as he has already been suspended a few times this season by the league.

Julien Leduc (2012), D, Chateauguay

Good skater .. turns are crisp and balance is not a problem .. seems to be able to change speeds almost at will .. has a very hard shot that he releases quickly .. able to keep it low and to the net .. angles his opponents well along the boards .. leaves a little too much room to the puckcarrier .. plays the body well, although he could hit with more authority.

Loic Leduc (2012), D, Laval

Huge defenseman has surprisingly good mobility and footwork for a player his size .. skates backwards well, but as can be expected, he has issues with balance at times .. long wingspan that he needs to learn how to take advantage of when defending .. not a great passer but by keeping things simple, he is an effective one .. will become very difficult to play against once he get's bigger.

Michael Matheson (2012), D, Lac St-Louis

Excellent skater who easily can change directions easily .. picks up speed quickly and effortlessly .. transitions easily from front to backwards skating .. plays conservatively when it comes to his offense .. anticipates the game very well both offensively and defensively .. not afraid to play the body and although he is not the strongest player, he is effective at it .. had a lot of scouts exited after his game.

Dominic Poulin (2012), D, Seminaire St-Francois

Defenseman with size that can move well .. skates fine backwards and laterally .. has a bullet of a shot from the point .. makes sure to get open at the point to take advantage of that shot .. can be a hard hitter along the boards and has good enough footwork to catch opponents off guard .. tangles up his man in the crease well .. has to work on upper-body strength.

Francois Tremblay (2012), G, Jonquiere

Big goaltender who takes up lots of room when he is in position .. doesn't give up many rebounds .. when he does, he has to control them a little better .. leaves a few openings high .. moves legs quickly on low shots and manages to keep his body in position when going down .. prefers to stay back and let the puck hit him .. doesn't come out too much to handle the puck.